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Karen Walker
Karen Walker (née Delaney, formerly; St. Croix, Popeil, and Finster) is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace. She is portrayed by actress and singer Megan Mullally. Although Karen was originally conceived as a supporting character role, her escapades became a more prominent part of the show based on positive viewer reaction. For much of the series, she is a multi-millionairess thanks to her marriage to Stanley Walker, working as an assistant to Grace Adler. Early Years Karen was born on January 12. Although she tries to keep her age secret, Jack McFarland revealed that she was 42 in 2001, meaning she was born in 1959. Karen's childhood was a rocky road thanks in part to her unstable relationship with her mother, Lois Whitley, a con artist who incorporated her young daughter into her schemes. Due to her family moving around a lot, Karen never got close to any of her friends. She sends her mother a check once a month to keep her from bothering her new life ("Something Borrowed, Someone's Due"). Nevertheless, her sister Virginia says that Karen was popular, easy-going, and all the boys loved her, though Karen was also jealous of Virginia being their father's favorite. In 1963, Karen purposely injured Virginia during a game of Twister on "a rickety old saw mill that juts out over the falls". Years later, Virginia admits that she also planned on injuring Karen that same day though unsuccessfully. They both realized they were jealous of each other and decide to move past it. Karen has been supporting her ever since the incident ("Whatever Happened To Baby Gin?"). Karen revealed in season 1 that she lost her virginity to a professor at school who gave her an A+ and an exemption to write a term paper ("Will Works Out"). At some point before she got married, she appeared in the fetishistic porn film Next to Godliness as a dominatrix flick wearing a rubber dress ("To Serve and Disinfect"). Personality She is noted also for her shrill/squeaky voice and her addiction to drugs and alcohol. Karen often takes pride in hitting people who are socially beneath her, including her staff. She has had people fired for various reasons, such as "she had a grey tooth" or when she had a UPS guy fired because she thought brown was over, and has made waiters cry in several occasions ("Husbands and Trophy Wives"). In the fourth season, Stan was jailed for tax evasion and told Karen to date other men. She could not bring herself to do so until she met rich bachelor Lionel, but just as their affair began, Stan was released from jail. However, after Karen caught him with his mistress Lorraine Finster --a cafeteria worker at the prison--the couple separated, and Karen moved into a ritzy hotel. After beginning divorce proceedings at the end of the fifth season, Stan died suddenly. During seasons six, Karen pursued romantic liaisons and ended up marrying Lyle Finster (John Cleese), Lorraine's father. However, after twenty minutes of marriage--a sudden ceremony in Las Vegas--she asked for a divorce. Karen has been the head of Walker, Inc., since her husband's death. However, at the end of season seven, it was revealed that Stan faked his death and had actually been in hiding. Karen began dating Malcolm, a government agent who had helped Stan do this. However, she ultimately reconciled with Stan, and Malcolm left on a government mission to Sri Lanka. Later in the eighth season, however, Karen and Stan experienced significant marriage difficulties. They finally chose to divorce, only for Karen to learn--in season eight's finale--that his money was borrowed and that, as a result, she was now broke. Karen then pressured Jack into a relationship with Beverly Leslie (played by Leslie Jordan), who was wealthy enough to support Jack--and in turn keep Karen in the lifestyle to which she was accustomed. Though unattracted to Beverley, Jack went ahead with the scheme because Karen had financially supported him for the whole of their relationship. Karen, probably realizing that she was doing to Jack what her mother did to her, told Jack that she cared more about Jack's happiness than the money. Beverley, who had been in the bathroom, then comes out to an empty bedroom, looks for Jack on the outside balcony and, being 4'11 and 100 lbs., is swept to his death by a gust of wind. Beverley had left his millions to Jack. Jack happily became the provider in his relationship with Karen, which has otherwise not changed. The series finale showed that--until at least 2028--Karen, Jack, and Rosario shared a home together and thanks to plastic surgery, Karen appeared to have not aged a day. With other staff and help, Karen is deliberately patronizing, referring to them solely by their title both in conversation and to their face: "Driver," "Butler," "Private Detective," "Pharmacist," "Back-Up Pharmacist," et cetera, even when they are doing other jobs ("Cook sometimes cleans, Cleaner sometimes cooks, Driver sometimes provides an alibi..."). This rude tone is not limited to her employees, as she looks down on or openly mocks most people she meets, even her friends. Karen is often cruel to her staff at home, training them to run when she enters a room. Other times she chews them out, but somehow this comes across as an act of affection. When she talks to people she often calls them "honey". Sometimes Karen unintentionally reveals to her friends a softer side that is carefully hidden. In one such incident, Karen's husband has a heart attack and may die. Karen discovers that her friends have placed a bet to see who can get her to cry first, so she elaborately punishes each of them by leading them on to think she might break down in their presence. In the end, she has an actual breakdown over the incident, which Grace stumbles in on and consoles her during. Another episode sees Karen and Jack in her mansion with her refusing to let him enter 'the forbidden room'. When Jack finally gains access he discovers it is a nursery which Karen had prepared during a pregnancy scare in an earlier season. Although she agrees to change the room into a liquor storage room, she quickly changes her mind and the audience sees her stony facade crumble. Other Identities Throughout the series Karen often goes under the alias "Anastasia Beaverhausen," ("Anastasia as in Russian royalty, Beaverhausen as in...where the beaver live") ("A.I.: Artificial Insemination"), usually while in poor areas she does not want to be associated with. She also used the alias Pilar Palabundo to "beat up businessmen for cash in Chinatown" ("Nice In White Satin"). Her real name may not, in fact, be Karen, as she changes her name from time to time to throw off the "Feds." Her mother refers to her as "Kiki", which was her childhood nickname ("Someone Old, Someplace New"). Marriages and affairs She has been married four times — her first husband's surname was St. Croix, her second was named Popeil (a reference to the American culinary businessman/entrepreneur Ron Popeil). Karen met and fell in love with Stanley Walker (an unseen character) before her first marriage, but later found out that he is married. They finally wed in 1995 until his untimely death while their divorce is still being finalized ("23"). Karen was then married for 20 minutes to Lyle Finster in May 2004 ("I Do. Oh, No. You Di-in't"). Karen later finds out that Stan faked his death to hide from the mob and she forgives him ("Alive and Schticking"). Karen has two stepchildren, Olivia and Mason, whom she refers to as "the girl" and "the fat one", respectively from Stan's previous marriage to Cathy ("Secrets and Lays") In Thanksgiving of 2001, Stan who is jailed for tax evasion, allows Karen to have an affair while he is in prison. Karen refuses to, saying that the only man she wants is her husband ("Moveable Feast"). As Stan unexpectedly comes home from prison, she almost sleeps with rich bachelor Lionel Banks ("...And the Horse He Rode In On"). She has intimated an illicit relationship with Ronald Reagan, claiming no one said anything to her at his funeral because she was his mistress ("The Mourning Son"). She also implies to have been a lover of Jon Voight, Steven Tyler, and Goldie Hawn , none of whom wanted to leave their daughters for her ("The Accidental Tsuris"). Will says Karen also became "Husband #8" to Elizabeth Taylor due to her carelessness ("A-Story, Bee-Story"). She also had a relationship with a sultan named Habibi Shoshani Padush Al-Kabir, a man named Clayton, and Olympian Martina Navratilova (who was apparently straight before they met) ("Lows in the Mid-Eighties"). Sexuality It has been a recurring humor throughout the series is that Karen has bisexual tendencies, mostly implied through semi-sexual encounters with Grace, and when states that her idea of a girl's night includes getting tops off and "lady lovin'" ("Women and Children First"). She has mentioned attending Sarah Lawrence College, referring to her lesbian experiences. She was once mocked by her roommate Liz for her "weird bisexual vibe" ("Dolls And Dolls"), enjoys flirty banters with her maid Rosario, and implies to be attracted to her husband's mistress Lorraine Finster ("24"). Karen and her mother Lois also recall her falling in love with someone whom they refer to interchangeably as "he/him" and "she/her". It is also hinted that Karen may be transgender, as she sometimes to herself as a "boy" ("Cop To It"). Many female celebrities have been implied to have sexual encounters with Karen, including Candice Bergen and Vanessa Williams. In "East Side Story", Karen said to lesbian realtor Deidre (played by Edie Falco), "Stay back, bulldozer, I'm engaged." To this, the realtor replied, "You were last time, too". Karen also makes many passes at Leo's ex-girlfriend Diane ("Last Ex To Brooklyn"), Elliot's cheerleader crush Melanie ("I Never Cheered for My Father") and Grace's neighbor Julie. In the final episode, Grace has a fantasy dream in which Karen and Rosario are married. Relationships Grace To entertain herself, Karen took a job as personal assistant to interior designer Grace Adler. Though she never accomplishes any work (she cannot operate a computer or a fax machine), she doesn't quit because the job gets her "away from Stan and the kids," as she once told an intern. Grace does not fire her because Grace's business benefits from Karen's social contacts; Karen also pays for Grace's health insurance. Karen also appears to pay Grace's Christmas bonus, unlike the usual employer paying the employee the bonus. For a long time, Karen never cashed any of the paychecks she was given because, being rich, she didn't need to, also Karen and Grace had made a deal, in exchange for not cashing the checks Karen was not required to actually do any work. Instead she kept them in a shoebox on her desk because she thought they were "pretty pieces of paper." Once when Stan cut down on her extravagant spending habits, she cashed all her paychecks at once, nearly bankrupting Grace. Karen "kindly" gave the money back to Grace in the end, even though it would have been Karen's money to keep. Karen and Grace were very close friends, (despite Karen's constant criticisms and insults regarding Grace's clothing choices and personal life), and Karen and Will's dislike of each other turned to friendship over the years as well. Through Grace, she also developed a strong friendship with Jack McFarland, a gay man who was also good friends with Will. Jack Jack and Karen are extremely close. Will Will started an awkward relationship with Karen mainly because he says they have nothing in common ("Will On Ice"). Although Will consistently expresses dislike for Karen's questionable behavior, they become considerably closer later on as Karen and Stanley become clients of his firm. In "A Chorus Lie", Karen chose Will to go with him to her to a gala she hosts every year with Stan, saying that ever since her husband was imprisoned, Will is "the only man in my life I can count on". It has been mentioned multiple times that Karen and Will mainly pay for Jack's expenses ("Moveable Feast"). During Stan and Karen's divorce, Will serves as his attorney, which upsets Karen ("23"). Will's first case with the Coalition for Justice is to bring Karen to trial for being a slumlord. Although Karen ends up her being forced to live in a run-down building in Spanish Harlem, they later come into terms stating they acted out of pettiness and spite ("Swish Out of Water"). Rosario Her relationship with her maid Rosario Salazar (played by Shelley Morrison), whom she met and hired in 1985 and for whom she even arranged a marriage with Jack to help her get a Green Card, is very close. Although the duo often bicker and fight, it is only part of the bond they share. In the beginning of the series, it seemed that Rosario didn't speak much English, and Karen had a hard time communicating with her. Karen's way of giving Rosario orders was to add the letter "o" to the end of every word she'd say (e.g., "Enougho with the April Fresho. *hangs up the phone* Right now she's calling me a bitcho"). In another example of miscommunication, Karen used to end phone calls with Rosario by saying "hola," which means "hello" in Spanish and not "goodbye." When Rosario was first seen on-camera at the end of the first season, it was revealed that she spoke English quite well and that Karen was being patronizing. In a later season, we see Karen forced to live in an apartment block she owns in Spanish Harlem as punishment for failing to bring the building to code. She is seen in this episode screeching at a child in the street in fluent Spanish, leading Will to comment "And yet when you talk to Rosario, it's 'Scrubbo the Tubbo.'" Karen is known for her volatile arguments with her maid Rosario, where they screech over each other, ending simultaneously with a loud insult. A few seconds of silence follows before they embrace each other emotionally declaring their affection for each other, to the laughter of the audience. Their relationship is very much love-hate with each being brutally honest with the other, but at the end of the day still loving each other. Rosario affectionately calls Karen "mommy" from time to time, when they're not trading insults. The only low points were when Karen lost Rosario in a bet to her arch nemesis Beverley Leslie and when Karen sacked Rosario after discovering she had hidden the truth about her husband Stanley Walker being alive. Rosario appeared in the last episode, with her final words to Karen being "Suck it, bitch!" Friends and Rivals Living in the high society, Karen has had several connections with rich people. Frequently, she describes them as rivals, including her "dearest white friend" Beverley Leslie; Stan's mistress Lorraine Finster; Anita Bryant, who fell in love with her; Candice Bergen, her " arch-enemy-slash-best-friend"; New York socialites Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue who live in Karen's apartment; Scott Woolley who secretly loves her; Candace Pruitt; and famous interior designer Helena Barnes. Karen has a love-hate relationship with most of her rivals, openly insulting them while simultaneously thinking of them as her friends. Popularity Karen's popularity on the show grew mostly from her one-liners, "zingers", and straight-forwardness. Karen's emotional complexity was wrapped in a façade of lack of interest in other people's problems, as well as a focus on her own selfishness and greed. Although her friends are cavalier about it, Karen is clearly an alcoholic and drug addict, often indulging in prescription pills and booze. She often (albeit casually) mentions taking street drugs or being under the influence of them. In one episode, she complains to Will about the way he approached her by saying: "You came in here all high-and-mighty....acting all mighty, while I was high," and on another episode saying "Oh, honey, you say potato, I say vodka," and to a character played by the late Gregory Hines, Karen declares "Honey, I'd suck the alcohol out of a deodorant stick." In the series finale, Karen drinks an entire bottle of vodka in one gulp, which Jack, Grace, and Will watch without much surprise. Karen makes observations on others with an emotionless and often cruel eye. She once said to Jack, "Honey, you know what's really sad? Poor people with big dreams. Well, that's not so much sad as it is incredibly funny!" A recurring victim for her cruelty is a bartender named Smitty, who tells her tragic events in his life, only to have her laugh in his face and thank him for cheering her up. She is also known for the excessive use of the word "honey" when conversing with people, for her "killer rack," and for being insanely rich. Karen is very popular with Japanese people because she played in a Japanese commercial for Atushi-kan-ki, the energy drink that is chock full of vitamins, minerals, and baby laxatives. Things Karen Implied In conversation and offhand remarks, Karen has either directly stated or implied some unusual things about herself and her past: *She was involved in the kidnapping of Patty Hearst. *She is almost 200 years old. *She was alive during the Great Depression. *She made some sort of pact with the Devil in order to allow her to live forever. *She was friends with Sunny Von Bulow, and is responsible for her coma (although another episode showed Karen being ecstatic when she believed that Sunny had recovered). *She had an affair with Martina Navratilova in the 1980s. *She was roommates with Constantin Stanislavski. *She was Ronald Reagan's mistress. *She was hit on by singer Anita Bryant, whom Karen rejected. *She is a Notary public. *She set up the governor of New Jersey with his boyfriend, or rather loaned them her apartment. *When she was a boy, she used to work at a supermarket. *She claims to every now and then receive money from Linda Hussein (Saddam Hussein's wife) after Karen won a bet concerning who had the worst husband. *She's in a gang and is a fan of Gangsta Rap and the band Aerosmith. *She smoked weed with Debbie Harry. *She and Candice Bergen set up Martha Stewart and caused her to go to jail. *Pablo Picasso once offered to paint her but he wanted to put both breasts on one side of her body. "I wouldn't take it from him..." said Karen. Trivia * In the pilot episode, Karen did not speak with her usual high and squeaky voice. Her voice did not change until subsequent episodes. * Karen's bra size is 34C. * Karen has two Pharmacists: Pharmacist, and "Back-Up Pharmacist". * Karen’s "drag" name is Shu Shu Fontana ("Boo! Humbug"). * Karen may or may not have been responsible for the death of Sunny von Bülow (although she isn’t dead in real life) * Karen's limo-driver is also her "boat-driver" * Karen once reported that there were pictures printed in Penthouse of herself and Vanessa L. Williams making out * Karen has an alias, "Anastasia Beaverhausen", which she uses when she wishes not to identify herself in suggestive areas, like bars and taco restaurants or at the Banana Republic. * Karen calls every waiter who serves her in bars "Smitty". * Karen was cloned, but none of them survived. ("Prison Blues" S4) * She is often out of touch with reality and tells stories from her past that are actually plots of famous books or movies, including "Heidi," Speed and Norma Rae. * Whenever she becomes worried, confused or panicked, she has a tendency to ask three questions at the same time. While Grace was with Nathan, he gives her a trampoline, while she is jumping on it Karen walks in looking confused (Wondering whether Grace is actually jumping, or if she's under-medicated) asking "Honey, what's this? What's going on? What's happening?". * Karen divorced her 4th husband Lyle Finster at their wedding reception when she was referred to as "Karen Finster". She quoted, "Honey, I want a divorce" as Lyle asked "Why, sweetums", she replies "I don't like my name". Karen later remarried her 3rd husband Stanley Walker who would later die and leave her broke. Karen's staff It has been stated by Grace in "Sour Balls" that Karen has a staff of more than 30 people. Karen is particularly adamant about creating a distinction between herself and her staff. In one episode when she comes to answer the front door, she announces "I'm approaching!" or "I can see you", as she enters, and several maids evacuate the room. When Will signs on to work as Karen's lawyer, he asks her if she'd like to go to lunch, and she responds "Honey, I don't eat with the help." When Jack comes to live with Rosario in Karen's penthouse, he is disappointed by the view out of his window--Karen tells him "This is where the help stays." Jack is confused and explains, "But I'm not help." Karen firmly replies "You married help, you're help." Maids *Rosario - Karen's primary maid who does a great deal for Karen including hosing her out of bed in the morning. In episodes where Rosario is not seen, Karen often mentions, in an offhand way, making Rosario do more demeaning things, such as decorate a birthday cake with her teeth marks or kidnapping the dogs of Jack's nursing school teacher. In Season 3 Episode 9 "Lows In The Mid-Eighties," we see a flashback to how Karen met Rosario. *Back-Up Maid - who was Lorraine Finster's maid in Season 5 Episode 23, entitled "23." *Karumi - In Season 8 Episode 2 "I Second That Emotion," Karumi plays the violin to Karen and is then told to clean up her vomit with her bow. *Leni - In Season 8 Episode 6 Love is in the Airplane, Karen hires Leni (played by Millicent Martin), a British Maid to replace Rosario. She eventually fires her and brings Rosario back. *Karen 2 - In Season 7, Episode 18, "Sour Balls," Grace mentions a maid that looks exactly like Karen in case the "kids wants a hug from mom in the middle of the night." *Several other unnamed maids who vanish when Karen approaches; she often yells "Approaching!" or "I can see you!" (or once "I hear chewing!"). Other *Driver - who drives Karen's limo, boat, and plane except when Lyle did; he is very old. It can be assumed that Karen has had several drivers, as during Season Three she mentions that driver was killed by policemen. *Pastry Chef - a pansexual who, as he put it, sexed Karen, Rosario, and Will in Season 7 Episode 18 "The Fabulous Baker Boy". Played by real-life straight ally Stuart Townsend) *Gardener - In Season 2 Episode 23 "Ben? Her?" Jack found Rosario in bed with Gardener. In Season 7 Episode 9 "Saving Grace, Again (2)", Jack sets Karen up with Gardener who asks her not to tell Rosario because 'we have a little thing going on'. This implies that Gardener and Rosario have had an ongoing relationship from Season 2 to Season 7. *Bodyguard - In Season 4 Episode 2 "Past & Presents", Karen brings Bodyguard to work to protect her from Grace who threatened to 'kick her ass' because Karen trumped Grace's present to Nathan. *Pedicurist - In one episode Grace stays at Karen's house and has her toenails cleaned to their natural color by Karen's Pedicurist. *Cook - In the episode "Secrets and Lays", Karen's Cook died and therefore cannot cook for them. Karen mentions his name was Paul. Mentioned staff *Helicopter Pilot - In Season 2 Episode 5 "Polk Defeats Truman", Karen calls Stan and asks for him to send the helicopter to rescue her from an outlet shopping mall. However, in Season 7 Episode 18 "The Fabulous Baker Boy", Will Truman fires Helicopter Pilot because as he says to Karen 'you don't own a helicopter'. *Butcher - Mentioned in Season 4 Episode 16 "A Chorus Lie" *Jeweler - Mentioned in Season 4 Episode 17 "Someone Old, Someplace New" *Baker - Mentioned in Season 4 Episode 19 "Cheatin' Trouble Blues". He cooked Will's parents an Anniversary cake. *Pants Hoister - Mentioned in Season 7 Episode 18 "The Fabulous Baker Boy" *Mustard Spreader - Mentioned in Season 7 Episode 18 "The Fabulous Baker Boy" *Plastic Surgeon - Mentioned in Season 7 Episode 18 "The Fabulous Baker Boy". *Karen 2 - Mentioned in Season 7 Episode 19 "Sour Balls". Karen 2 is a woman who looks just like Karen in case one of the kids requires a hug from 'mom' in the middle of the night. *Private Detective - who followed Stan back and forth to Krispy Kreme when Karen thought he was having an affair. *Pharmacist (or Pharmy) *Back-Up Pharmacist (or Back-Up Pharmy) *Optometrist *Butler *Manicurist *Alibi *Karen II- Karen also mentions that she has a Karen II incase her stepchildren want a hug. She also includes Will as a member of her staff ("Lawyer") at times and has also had Picasso working for her. She mentions that her staff are interchangeable, "Cook sometimes cleans, Cleaner sometimes cooks, Driver sometimes provides an alibi." When Karen tells her high society friends that Will is a "whore", he leaves the charity event stating, "You should ask someone else like Butcher, or Baker, or Pain-Killer Maker!" After Will & Grace Walker's persona has appeared in advertisements for The Megan Mullally Show, which debuted in September 2006 and which was canceled in January 2007. In one, Karen asks Megan to take her along. In another, Karen tries to pass for Megan at a meeting with studio executives until she is caught by Mullally and they begin to physically struggle with each other. Mullally once again donned a Walker persona in an episode of The Megan Mullally Show which featured Andy Dick. Mullally in a "Karen Walker voice", "I hurt his feelings, that was fun!" Quotes "Honey what's going on with your hair? It looks like you've got [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rocky_and_Bullwinkle_Show mousse and squirrel] in there." - "Big brother is coming (Part 2)" Well, well, well. Look what the cat cleaned up, showered, exfoliated, powdered, lipsticked, Gucci'd and dragged in. - "Husbands and Trophy Wives" Honey, this is a cult! Yeah. Like the Moonies or the homeless. Yes. They're trying to make gay people straight! Good Lord! Don't they know what that'll do to the fall line? - "Girls, Interrupted" I may be a pill-popping, jet fuel sniffing, gin-soaked narcissist… but I'm not an actor. I listen when people speak. - "Partners 'n Crime" You have to convince them that you two are a real married couple or this one's gonna be spooning ceviche out of a bucket on a dusty soccer field back in Chimichanga ville! - "Whose Mom Is It, Anyway?" As I once said to Celine Dion, why the long face? - Season 6 Blooper Reel I forget, what are you these days, gay or straight? Wait, wait, wait. Let me do a little test. Okay, there's a penis and a vagina in a tent. And it's on fire. Which do you save? - "Fagmalion Part One: Gay It Forward" It's only acting, for God's sake. I mean, how hard can it be? Kate Beckinsale can do it. - "Blanket Apology" Honey, that's just a saying, like, "Ooh, that sounds like fun," or, "I love you." - "Crazy In Love" Let me paint you a little picture of life here at chez Walker. You may want to sit down for this. Nobody matters but me. Good night. - "He's Come Undone" Honey, you married help? You're help. - "Guess Who's Not Coming To Dinner"Category:Characters